Biography

Mary Calkins is Notable.

Mary Calkins was a part of the Women's Rights Movement.

Mary Whiton Calkins was a pioneering American philosopher and psychologist, best known for her significant contributions to psychology and her relentless advocacy for gender equality in academia. She holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve as president of both the American Philosophical Association and the American Psychological Association.

Born on March 30, 1863, in Hartford, Connecticut, Mary was the daughter of Phineas Calkins and Charlotte Whiton. She pursued higher education at Smith College, where she majored in classics and philosophy, graduating in 1885. She later joined the faculty at Wellesley College, initially as a tutor, before being appointed to teach psychology—a discipline newly incorporated into the philosophy department’s curriculum.

Despite her outstanding academic qualifications, Calkins faced systemic barriers due to her gender. She sought a doctorate at Harvard University, where women were not formally admitted. Although she was permitted to attend lectures and completed all the requirements for a doctoral degree in psychology—with unanimous faculty approval—Harvard refused to confer the degree on the basis of her sex. Nonetheless, she continued to conduct groundbreaking research and remained steadfast in her pursuit of academic excellence.

Calkins was a vocal advocate for women’s rights and an active suffragist. She argued against gender-based academic restrictions, emphasizing that in a democratic society dedicated to education, discrimination based on sex was "artificial and illogical." Her scholarly work further cemented her legacy; she was instrumental in the development of self-psychology, a framework that conceptualized psychology as the "science of the self." Her first textbook, An Introduction to Psychology, was published in 1901, and in 1903, she was ranked twelfth among the most eminent psychologists of her time by her peers.

In addition to her academic leadership, Calkins established the first psychological laboratory for women at Wellesley College and authored over 100 papers and four books spanning psychology and philosophy. She dedicated four decades to teaching and research at Wellesley and Harvard, influencing the trajectory of psychological and philosophical thought.

Mary Whiton Calkins passed away on February 26, 1930, and was laid to rest in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts. ^{[1] [2]} Her legacy endures as a trailblazer who challenged institutional barriers and advanced the role of women in academia.

Census Information

• In the 1880 census Mary (age 17), At School, was the single daughter of Wolcott Calkins in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.^[3]
• In the 1900 census Mary (age 37), Professor College, was the single daughter of Wolcott Calkin in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts.^[4]
• In the 1910 census Mary (age 46), Proprietor, was the single daughter of Wolcott Calkins in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.^[5]
• In the 1920 census Ulary (age 55), Proprietor, was the single daughter of Uoleott Calkins in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Death: "Massachusetts, U.S., Death Index, 1901-1980"
   Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Massachusetts Vital Records Index to Deaths [1916-1970]. Volumes 66–145. Facsimile edition. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts; Volume Number: 70; Page number: 518; Reference Number: F63.M363 v.81
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 3659 #3297307 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary Calkins W died in 1930 in Newton, Massachusetts, USA.
2. ↑ Burial: "U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current"
   Find a Grave. Find a Grave®. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi; URL: Find A Grave: Memorial #6688166
   Ancestry Record 60525 #2509170 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary Whiton Calkins burial (died on 26 Feb 1930) in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America.
3. ↑ 1880 Census: "1880 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1880; Census Place: Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: 546; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 473
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6742 #15422591 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary W Calkins (17), single daughter, At School, in the household of Wolcott Calkins (49) in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Born in Connecticut.
4. ↑ 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1900; Census Place: Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: 664; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 0892
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #48169763 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary W Calkin (37), single daughter, Professor College, in the household of Wolcott Calkin (67) in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Born in Connecticut, USA.
5. ↑ 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1910; Census Place: Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: T624_603; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0958; FHL microfilm: 1374616
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #111448940 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Mary W Calkins (46), single daughter, Proprietor, in the household of Wolcott Calkins (78) in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Born in Connecticut.
6. ↑ 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1920; Census Place: Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_716; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 358
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #71668742 (accessed 22 April 2023)
   Ulary W Calkins (55), single daughter, Proprietor, in household of Uoleott Calkins (88) in Newton Ward 1, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Born in Connecticut.

See also:

• Wikipedia: Mary Whiton Calkins
• Wikidata: Item Q988129, en:Wikipedia